Iraqi Popular Forces Ward off ISIL’s Offensives at Border with Syria

The Iraqi volunteer forces of Hashd al-Shaabi repelled two heavy attacks of ISIL near the country’s border with Syria on Tuesday, killing and wounding a large number of terrorists.

Artillery and missile units of Hashd al-Shaabi targeted heavily the movements of a group of ISIL in al-Mas’ada region near the border with Syria, and repelled their attack.

Also, the Hashd al-Shaabi troops managed to fend off another attack by the ISIL near the village of Tal Hajem near the borderline with Syria.

ISIL suffered heavy casualties in the failed attacks.

A local source said earlier today that around fifty ISIL militants were killed in Iraqi Army’s airstrikes in Northeast of Diyala.

“Basateen al-Mekheisa and the surrounding villages located in al-Waqf basin on the outskirts of abu Sayda town, Northeast of Diyala, were shelled five times over the past two months,” Awwad al-Rubai’e, head of the security committee of Abu Sayda council said, Al Ghad reported.

“Most of the airstrikes were accurate. They targeted pivotal havens of ISIL militants and sleeper cells,” he said. “The available estimates show that the total number of militants killed due to the air raids, last of which was on Sunday, reached around fifty members.”

Rubai’e added that Waqf basin became an unsafe shelter for the militants due to ongoing operations by security services as well as the aerial bombardment.